An Interview with Ala the Heartist

Ala the Heartist is a woman of talent and soul based in Arlington County, Virginia. As a performer, she specializes in vocals and violin. The daughter of Egyptian immigrants to the United States, Ala comes from humble beginnings. The lessons that she learned from her experience growing up as the American daughter of said community carries her forward in her personal life as well as her artistic journey.

In a recent interview, Ala spoke about the influences that inspired her work and what drives her to both create and perform as an artist. She shared the story of what it was like for her growing up as the American-born daughter of Egyptian immigrants, the inspiration she derives from Sufi Islam and other religious traditions, the influences of both American and Arabic music, and her next venture as a contestant for NPR's TinyDesk competition.

At a young age, Ala was introduced to Arabic music by her father. She recounted how there was an instrument that she didn't recognize at the time. She asked her father what the instrument was, and he replied, "It's a lute. And if you ever learn that instrument, I will be the happiest Dad in the world."

While she never picked up the lute, her family's love for music inspired Ala as she underwent her artistic journey. The exposure to various musical influences continues to influence Ala to this day. As an artist, she appreciates the creative expression and freedom that comes with flowing between two different languages...English and Arabic. She believes that the music in each language brings something unique and special. When she was growing up, her parents listened to a lot of Arabic music but they were only familiar with popular American musicians. While she and her family lived down in the southern United States though, it was her friends who introduced her to various musical influences including rock, soul, and hip hop

The Heartist mentions that much of her inspiration for her music and worldview are rooted in her journey as a practicing Muslim in the Sufi tradition of Islam. While she learned these teachings from her parents, life gave her opportunities to expand on what she was told. Her encounters with different traditions also inspired her to reflect on the greater mystery of life. Two pieces of wisdom from her upbringing arose that she carries to this day. First, that there are multiple ways to see the world and that her way is not the only one. She incorporates the wisdom of Sufi tradition, which upholds beliefs that there are multiple ways to find the divine, into her music. She also learned radical acceptance, using this as a means of fostering understanding and growing from adversity. It is wisdom that served her well even during her trials in life.

One of Ala's songs, "Please Them" is a reflection of how when she was younger, she fell into a people-pleasing habit that was not serving her. The song has gotten a lot of critical attention. One man, after its performance, challenged and condemned her for being the kind of person that would disobey her parents. Using the same wisdom she developed, Ala was able to engage with the man in a thoughtful dialogue where she challenged his ideas. In the end, the man saw from a different perspective and he admitted that he had never thought about it that way.

Her music reflects much of this wisdom that she learned from her understanding of Islam, but also expands into themes such as liberty, creativity, and life itself. Her single, "Where Is the Ground" covers the topic of understanding love between God and Self but also ourselves and our loved ones. It is an opportunity to look at love as a means of guidance. The artist has performed it several times and has received critical acclaim as well as various interpretations from audience members. The song itself served as her entry for the NPR TinyDesk competition.

When asked about the competition, Ala mentioned that she entered it not as a means to gain fame. Instead, she hopes it will be an opportunity to connect with audiences that she never had before. "[TinyDesk] made me realize that there are so many people going unnoticed, who are creating music from their own experience in life. It's not about how many followers you have but about the process." She sees it also as a chance to collaborate with fellow artists. While she is not against commercialism per se, Ala enjoys making music with those whose backgrounds are also unassuming and who love the collaboration process.

You can check out her entry below.

Going forward, Ala aspires to use her voice more often and to embrace more of that medium. She also hopes to collaborate with more artists in the near future. While she will still be playing the violin, she wants to expand her horizons and continue reaching out to other creators.